Plants and herbs have long been used for medicinal purposes. Indeed, native Americans have long known of the healing powers of certain herbs as remedies for various illnesses. However, much research still needs to be done in the area of herbal remedies and it is believed that present day healers have only begun to scratch the surface of the limitless possible cures offered by plants and herb.
One recent inroad into herbal cures came with the discovery that aloe vera may be used as a biological vehicle for the delivery of drugs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,038 (the '038 patent) discloses an embodiment wherein aloe vera is used as a biological vehicle to deliver the estrogen, .beta.-estradiol and the androgen, testosterone propionate. The '038 patent also discloses a method of treating symptoms and diseases mediated by hormonal deficiencies or amenable to treatment by hormones using aloe vera as the biological vehicle for allowing penetration of drugs via a topical method.
Another example of using plants and herbs for medicinal purposes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,542 which teaches that plantain may be used in a product for treating tissue to form closures of wounds, incisions, and other openings, particularly during the embalming process.
Other well known examples of using plants and herbs for medicinal purposes include: aspirin, which comes from the bark of a white willow tree; and digitalis, which comes from a flower commonly known as fox glove.
The present invention provides a therapeutic composition which combines the healing powers of plantain and aloe vera (also known simply as aloe) for use in the treatment of arthritis and other afflictions, such as hematomas, skin rashes and infections.
Arthritis is a disease characterized by an inflammation of the joints, such as the knees, wrists, elbows, fingers, toes, hips, shoulders, and neck and back (i.e., joints between the bones of the spine). The inflamation characteristic of arthritis is often accompanied by other symptoms such as mild to severe pain, swelling, weakness in associated areas, and deformity. Arthritic symptoms may come on gradually or appear suddenly. Some people feel sharp burning or grinding pain, while others compare the pain to a dull toothache. Movement of the joints is usually associated with pain, although sometimes there is only stiffness. In general, there is usually a pronounced weakness in the muscular strength in the affected area.
The onset of the disease of arthritis can be associated with physical or emotional stress, age, poor nutrition, age, and possibly bacterial infections or other maladies or dysfunctions of unknown origin.
Furthermore, other diseases of the highly vascular area of the head, including the mouth, throat, particularly, the teeth and tonsils, and the nose and sinuses, may play a role in the onset or intensification of the symptoms of arthritis.
Arthritis can manifest itself in many different forms. For instance, one common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis which is a degenerative joint disease related to the wear and tear or aging of the joint and involves deterioration of the smooth cartilage.
Other types of arthritis include rheumatoid and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which can attack the synovial membranes surrounding the lubricating fluid in the joints. Often, the bone tissue and the cartilage and tissues in and around the joints are destroyed. The body replaces this damaged tissue with scar tissue which causes the spaces between the joints to become narrow in order to develop folds and to fuse together. The entire body is affected instead of just one joint as with other forms of arthritis. The disease creates stiffness, swelling, fatigue, anemia, weight loss, fever, and often crippling pain.
Another type of arthritis is ankylosing spondylitis (AS) which affects certain joints of the spine that become inflamed, stiffen, become rigid, and then, fuse together. If confined to the lower back, AS will cause virtually no limitation of movement. However, in some cases, the entire spine may become rigid and bent. If the joints between the ribs and spine are affected, severe breathing problems may result due to the limited expansion of the chest wall.
Another type of arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), involves a malfunction of the body's immune system. For reasons unknown, the body produces antibodies that act against itself. Although it mimics rheumatoid arthritis and results in painful and inflamed joints, SLE is not a crippling disease.
A therapeutic composition useful in the treatment of arthritis and other afflictions would be an important advance in managing the subject's symptoms.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic composition of matter which combines the healing powers of plantain and aloe vera to treat arthritis and other afflictions.